BOARD00145 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 3/12/2007
• Description: Interbasin Compact Process
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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SB03.110 authorized the Statewide Water Supply Initiative (5WSII. which implemented a
coUaborative approach to water resources issues by establishing SWSI roundtables. The SWSI
focused on using a common technical basis for identifying and quantifying water needs and
issues.

Im05.1177 or The Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act provides a permanent forum for
broad. based water discussions. It creates two new structures: 1) the lnterbasin Compact
Committee (IBCe), and 2) the Basin Roundtables. There are nine Basin Roundtables based on
Colorado's eight major river basins and the Denver metro area.

Sn06-179 created the Water Supply Reserve Account. Throughout SWSI and Colorado Water for
the 21 st Century Act processes, there has been a clear recognition that financial assistance is
needed to address the water challenges in our state. This legislation funds the Water Suppty
Reserve Account (Account), which directs the State Treasurer to annually transfer $10 million
from the Operational Account of the Severance Tax Trust Fund to the Account. These monies
are availabte to the Basin Roundtables to fund water activities.

t1806-1385 created the Colorado Water Conservation Board's Intrastate Water Management and
Development Section, which implements SWSI, the Water Supply Reserve Account, develops
reconnaissance tevel water supply alternatives, and tracks and supports water supply projects
and planning processes.

Figure 1 - Enabling l.egislation Address;ng Colorado's Water Challenges

Hasin Roundtable Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the basin roundtables can be
grouped into three categories: procedural,
substantive, and public involvement.

Pm(4;'durdl

Each roundtable has adopted bylaws that include
the roundtable's goats, objectives, and operating
procedures. These bylaws reflect the specific needs
of the roundtable and reflect the uniqueness of
each basin.

The basin roundtables have developed procedures
and each roundtable has selected two members of
the IBCC.

Subsldnli\..

The most extensive substantive responsibility
assigned to each basin roundtable is to develop a
basin.wide water needs assessment. This is to be
performed in cooperation with local governments,
area water providers, and other stakeholders. The
Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act states
"Using data from the Statewide Water Supply
Initiative and other appropriate sources and in
cooperation with the ongoing Statewide Water
Supply Initiative, develop a:W

. Basin.wide consumptive and nonconsumptive
needs assessment

. Analyze the availability of water supplies
including unappropriated waters within the basin .

. Propose projects or non.structural methods for
meeting water supply needs and utilizing
unappropriated waters where appropriate

Publk 'molu'oll'ol

Equally important to selecting members of the
IBCC and developing a basin.wide water needs
assessment, the roundtables serve as a forum for
public involvement. The roundtable activities are
required by law to be open, public meetings. The
roundtable process creates an expanded foundation
for public involvement.

Inlerbasin COlllllaet Commillee

The other structure created by the Colorado Water
for the 21st Century Act is the IBCC. This is a 27.
member committee established to facilitate
conversations between basins and to address
statewide issues. The IBCC brings the issues of each
roundtable to a statewide forum.

IIICC Rpspul1sibililil's

The Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act gives
the IBCC a series of responsibilities. These include
establishing bylaws, developing a charter, and .
creating a Public Education and Outreach Working
Group: